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Help Needed. Water in boat


Blacksmith

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I have not posted in some time, but I have been reading all the postings pretty much every day. Life has gotten in the way of some of the things I want to do, and now it is supposed to snow tomorrow in my area. Oh Well.

My problem is this, when it rains, I get water in the cabin of the boat. I have re-sealed EVERY #$%& spot I can find and it still leaks. Any ideas how to find the leak?

Oh, and my Wife and Daughter think we are all sick. I have been caught cruising some Men's web sights. You know the ones with boat plans and parts and how to build another boat, and pictures of other boats that people have built. Emily said I may need to go back to treatment for this. I am glad you folks are there and understand!

Thanks for listening, Stephen

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I'm in the squeeks and leaks part of rebuilding my motorhome.  I have used my wife to hose down the rig while I look for other drips than myself inside.  It doesn't alway work.  I have found leaks after a rain storm that didn't show up in the hose down, but most of them do show up with the hose.

Al

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Stephen those areas you mention onthe web contain ,what is  refered to as, Boat Porn!  8) 8) 8)  Yes it's a tough addiction to treat.  Every time I mention boat I get the look and the groan.  ::)  You may want to look at how you have splash proofed the hatch cover as well as using the hose trick.

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Oh, and my Wife and Daughter think we are all sick. I have been caught cruising some Men's web sights. You know the ones with boat plans and parts and how to build another boat, and pictures of other boats that people have built. Emily said I may need to go back to treatment for this.

The only treatment is to build another boat!  Iknow....  I'm an enabler. 

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Tracking down leaks can be a very frustrating job. The obvious method is to use a garden hose and spray areas you think may be leaking, while someone looks from the inside. The problem with leaks is it may start at some point, but commute along a carlin, deck beam or other framing element, then drip into the interior, making you think the leak is some place other then where it truly is.

Classic locations are anything that has a fastener going through it. Check each fastener for tightness. Next is the bedding under and around stuff fastened to the boat. Cleats, chain plates, hand rails, etc. are common spots to look. Once you can discount all the obvious stuff, your search enters the frustration zone and you have to start looking at ways water can "commute" through capillary action, into the boat. These are much less obvious, but any place you have an abrupt change, like where the cabin sides meet the decks, coming to cabin joints, cabin corners, under a bow sprit, etc.

On these types of leaks, I've resorted to using a garden sprayer with food colored water in it. Plain water can be difficult to see, but a bright green run down a bulkhead or cabin wall is a lot easier. You can also trace it back to some degree, by checking it's "green colored snail trail".

Try to work on localized areas, so you don't get false readings. Also try to think like water does and picture where it might want to hang out or mitigate through.

Judging by the photos of your boat, you have lots of places to look. Good Luck . . .

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Blacksmith,

From my extensive experience chasing down water leaks in three RVs (so far), nearly any window like you have installed in the cabin sides will develop leaks and can do it a very short time after being resealed.  Hunt for where the water drips.  I have used paper towels and napkins to show where the drips sneak in.

Good luck.

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Thanks all for your suggestions. I am getting ready to tarp the boat for winter, but may have a bit of time to try to find the leaks before I get snowed in for the season. I will let you all know what I find when I do my checking.

I have been reading about the Great Loop, and the dream has started. I think it will be a few years, but hey, one can never plan too soon, can they? To do the loop, I will NEED a bigger boat. Not want, but NEED. So, I have an excuse for cruising the Boat Porn sites :o Don't I? The girls may not see it that way though for some strange reason. Have any of you done a long cruise?

A little dad bragging, Emily has started attending the local Community College, and is taking 9 credits. That seems to be about the max she can handle. But she made the Deans list. Dad is REALLY proud of her! So is mom. She asked if I made the deans list when I was in school. I told her I was on  a list in his office, but it was a different list than the one she is on.

Thanks again, Stpehen

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Every once in a while a yacht doing the Great Circle will stop by our local port and visit for a short while.  I always enjoy this and wanted to give it a try too.  Instead, I got older, fatter, and then found that an RV handled most of those sorts of cravings.  Still, doing the Circle would be fun, especially if I could get my wife and sons to go along too.....of course this would never happen...so it is just a thought/dream for me.  If you could manage it, the folks I have met have been having a great time.  Several of the local sailors are doing or have done the Great Lakes sailing all the coast lines, and one fellow is now doing a world circumnavigation.  He left early last summer and I am out of date as to his trip. 

I hope you can do the Great Circle.  If you stop off here we could visit over a meal maybe? :)

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Greg, I would love to. But it is going to be a couple years at least. So, I think next summer you need to load up the RV, hang the boat trailer on the back and head up to Northern Wisconsin. I have enough room for you to park your RV in the yard, or there are some real nice state parks within 10 miles of my place.

Or, I could get a September MessAbout set up. I am thinking of one of those too. I will keep you posted.

Stephen

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